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Disciplines and Ideas in

Social Sciences
Quarter 1 – Module 7:
Rational Choice Theory

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 First Quarter
MODULE 7 – Week 7
Rational Choice Theory
Content Standard : The learner demonstrates an understanding of the
key concepts and approaches in the Social Sciences
Performance Standard : The learner is able to interpret personal and social
experiences using relevant approaches in the Social
Sciences and evaluate the strength and weaknesses
of the approach
Learning Outcomes : Upon completion of the module, the learner is
expected to comprehend the concept of Rational
Choice Theory
Competencies : Analyze the basic concept and principles of the
major Social Sciences theories;
: Apply the major Social Science theories and its
importance in examining socio-cultural, economic
and political conditions.
Topic : Rational Choice Theory

What I Know
Multiple Choice. Write the letter of the answer in your answer sheet.
1. What is the view that people behave as they do because they believe that performing
their chosen actions has more benefits than costs?
a. Psychoanalysis c. Marxism
b. Psychology d. Rational Choice
2. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about New Normal routine in our lives EXCEPT.
a. Washing of Hands c. Wearing of Face Mask
b. Coughing in public d. Social Distancing
3. In choosing lines of behavior, humans make rational calculations with respect to:
a. His/her past experiences c. The benefit he or she willing to make
b. The sacrifices he or she willing to make d. Al of the above
4. The following are basic premises of Rational Choice Theory, EXCEPT:
a. Human beings base their behavior on rational calculations
b. They act with rationality when making choices
c. Their choices are aimed at optimization of their pleasure
d. Letters A and C
5. Rational Choice Theory cannot explain the existence of certain social phenomenon
such as:
a. Altruism, care and trust c. Trust, honesty and betrayal
b. Reciprocity, trust and altruism d. Betrayal, altruism and honesty

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6. Which statement below states the weakness of Rational Choice Theory?
a. Most of the time, emotions is being used in decision
b. Man don’t think, they decide right away
c. Inadequate information and uncertain lead to poor judgement
d. It develops the decision- making skills of a person
7. Individuals’ actions are based on their preferences, beliefs and feasible
strategies according to:
a. Smith b. Ward c. Elster d. Dewey
8. Which statement supports the idea that institutions sets rules and conditions
that may affect the rational choice of a person?
a. Institutions regulates the society
b. Institutions controls the decision of the society
c. Institutions can lead the growth of economy
d. Institutions determines to establish politics
9. What do you think is the best way to beat COVID 19?
a. Wash hands as often as possible c. Follow what the elders are doing
b. Follow rules by the government d. Buy important groceries only
10. Which of the following causes social phenomena according to The
Rational Choice Theory?
a. Individual’s poor decision-making
b. Incompetence of government officials
c. Individual’s ability to respond to social change
d. Inadequate distribution of resources.
11. Which of the following applies the Rational Choice Theory where this action
could lessen the spread of COVID-19 virus?
a. Going out to buy food & medicine c. Wearing of Face Mask when going out
b. Helping with the household chores d. All of the above
12. Which statements best support the idea that RCT is the best model in
understanding society?
a. Apathy/sympathy forces man to make a good choice
b. Consider range of alternatives in making decision
c. Politics and economics influence how man decide
d. All of the above
13. Which of the following does NOT support the essence of Rational Choice
Theory?
a. Different social institution sets rules and incentive for the decision making of
man.
b. It is rational that man will decide on something that could give him more
benefit.
c. RCT depends for the analytical power upon the “utility-maximizing” concept.
d. Letters A and C are true
14. Why do you think individual join associations or groups in the society?
a. To maintain status quo c. To benefit more
b. To be love and be loved d. To share the blessings

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 15. Which statement state the reason that RCT could sometime go wrong?
a. Man is greed by nature, thus making choices for selfish reasons
b. Man is willing to sacrifice if it is for the good of all.
c. Man chooses money over principles and moral.
d. Letter B and C

Let us see if your answers are correct as you explore this module and
the journey starts now!!!

What I Need To Know

Social Sciences also have theoretical foundations and ideological thrusts. That
is why apart from the disciplines, the Social Sciences have what we call the dominant
approaches and ideas that are present within the different disciplines. These are the
roots of a discipline, or better yet, the very inspiration of the different Social Sciences.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

▪ Explain the concept of Rational Choice Theory
▪ Apply Rational Choice Theory on a personal experience

What’s New
In this segment of our lesson, we turn our attention to the notion of “choice”
as an analytical took to further elaborate on how individual action or agency has
further enhanced our understanding of the nature of society.

Questions to Ponder: Write your answers in your answer sheet.

a. Why did you take the track you are enrolled in?
b. What were your reasons or options for choosing that track?
c. Is this your personal choice or your parents? Explain.
d. Was the decision making difficult or easy? Why?

What Is It

The Social Sciences are not only composed of disciplines that showcase how
it views and studies every facet of society. The disciplines prove how Social Science
is applicable and practical, meaning that the Social Sciences are things that you can
use every day to understand reality much better.

Rational Choice Theory

Can you recall what other familiar scenes and anecdotes about elections you
have experienced in your locality, barangay or community? How have you and your
family members voted?

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 Notice the election paraphernalia on the streets during an election campaign
period which is a very common sight very so often in our nation’s life: campaign
paraphernalia consisting of streamers, posters, banners, flyers, banderitas, etc. – all
bearing the names and parties of political candidates who all want to get recognized
and voted for. Indeed, such is a typical scene that dominates our streets and our
lives during election time where we choose, as legal, qualified and registered voters,
which among the political wannabees we give our stamp of approval.
In a supposedly free and democratic society like ours, elections can very well
be interpreted as simply the result and sum total of all our individual voting
preferences, whoever gets the most number of votes wins the elections. However,
from the perspective of how we conduct elections, we may say that we Filipinos have
treated elections as being other things aside from merely an exercise in democracy
and politics. How many times, for example have we heard our people talk about their
preferred candidates as their manok alluding to a sabong or game fowl derby. And
how many times, too, have we heard from political pundits that elections are like a
contest or battle that should be won; thus, players need to strategize, plan and even
connive in order to win? Therefore, careful decision making and tactics should be
employed not only by the candidates themselves but also by the voters who do
benefit, in one way or another, from such exercise. In the end, the result of an
election is the sum total of all decisions made by each and every registered voter.
Elections, with a lot of candidates wooing voters to vote for them, provide us
a venue to learn about Rational Choice Theory (RCT). This mid-20th century theory
is a type of social inquiry that makes use of economic and game principles as applied
in the field of political science and sociology. In a microlevel of economic transaction,
say, in a market, everyone wants to get the most benefit for less. In Filipino, we call
this sulit. We hope to makasulit in whatever we buy or purchase. Getting more for
less. In similar fashion, the said theory can also be understood in the context of a
game or contest, where every player hopes to play smart and come up the sole
winner.
Rational Choice Theory relies heavily on the concept of “rationality”, albeit in
the narrow connotation of the word – individuals doing, choosing and selecting the
most cost-beneficial method of coming up with the most benefit, and getting results
that would serve his or her goals and pursuit in life. The keyword here is “individual”
because the theory does focus on the individual who is being viewed here as national
and active agents or individuals. It is a theory strongly based on the idea on the idea
of a social actor who generally wishes to optimize gains through rationality, albeit
limited by the object realities surrounding him or her.
Just like Phenomenology and Symbolic Interactionism paradigms tackled
previously, RCT also sees society as the creation of individuals interacting with one
another, only that when they interact, they strive to get the most out of their limited
resources and given capacities in order to maximize the benefits that he or she may
get. Hearing about this makes us remember neoliberal economics, which also states
the same principles and mode of behavior for nations – free trade, privatization, less
government spending, etc. It is in rational action, in economic action, that social
behavior is patterned or modeled after. Choices and personal judgements, however,
must be done on a regular basis to be able to count as rational action affecting

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society. They must be patterned and with distinct modality in order to impact society
as a whole.
As opposed to the notion of society consisting of structures with objective
existence and assumption of holism, rational and deliberately acting human agents-
who are individuals-shape mostly what society will be like or what it will become.
Social Structures, which are largely macrolevel entities, are explained by the choices
that people make, a situation considered to be microlevel activities of humans.
Rational Choice Theory is a powerful tool in making sense of why people act
or behave in the way they do. Nonetheless, it is not a comprehensive theory that can
fully account for one’s behavior or action. According to Elster, the essence of Rational
Choice Theory is that ‘when faced with several courses of action, people usually do
what they believe is likely to have the best overall outcome.” Individuals’ actions are
based on their preferences, beliefs and feasible strategies.
The science of Rational Choice includes both research on the abstract
conditions (or norms) governing human rationality and research that seeks to explain
and predict outcomes assuming rational agency. There are two views on whether the
theory simply represents a descriptive means to model behavior without
presupposing that agents actually reason in accordance with the theory or whether
instead it actually describes the decision rules manifested by rational agency.
Researchers upholding the first view generally are content to use the axioms of
rational choice to model actions and predict outcomes. The second view maintains
that rational actors exhibit purposive action consistent with the behavioral norms of
rational choice. The first view is modest by not suggesting anything about the
internal thought processes of agents, and the second view upholds Rational Choice
Theory as a theory that describes the normative foundations of rational decision
making. Even though the first view is more restrained and is sufficient for applying
Rational Choice methods to understanding social and political phenomena, many
researchers hold the view that Rational Choice Theory is a powerful analytic tool
precisely because it reflects the actual principles that must characterize purposive
agency.
Rational Choice Theory has been central to methodological debates
throughout the social sciences because of its adherence to a limited view of human
rationality as consistency among preferences that categorically deems irrational
modes of conduct not reducible to this description. As with any robust research
tradition, intense controversies abound both internally and externally. Debates
internal to the field have tended to focus on complex nuances of the formal theory as
well as the suitability of associating consistency of choice with choices characterized
by narrow self-interest. Whereas the former is previously touched on, the latter
attempt, for example, is to determine if altruistic behavior can be consistent with
rational choice. Researchers generally agree that altruistic preferences could be
readily encompassed within rational choice theory, but this leaves open the question
of whether a satisfactory concept of altruism can be reduced to agents’ preferences
over outcomes.

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 What’s More

Instruction: Make a decision using the principle of Rational Choice Theory

on the situation. Write your answer in a piece of paper.
Crime and Punishment: If you are a victim of cyberbullying or if you have a
friend who is also a victim. What will you do?

a. Tell the authority (Yes or No)

b. Why?

What I Have Learned

This module opened your mind that human beings base their behavior on
rational calculations, and they act with rationality when making choices. Finally,
RCT states that the calculations driving these rational actions consist of cost-benefit
analyses, and if the benefit is seen to outweigh the costs, then a person will commit
that action or behavior.

What I Can Do

Instruction: Read the given scenario and answer the questions that follow. Use a
separate paper for your answer.

Scenario. You are on your way to an important job interview that is given
only to shortlisted applicants. You have waited long for this job interview and
prepared for it. To miss the interview is to miss a very good chance at a job
opportunity that you have dreamed of since you were a kid. You are very excited and
hopeful that you will get hired. You are on your way to the job interview when
suddenly you received a call from your younger sister asking for your help. She
seems confused and emotional over the phone, which made you worried and anxious
either to push to your interview or to help her. To add to your dilemma, your sister
is a person with disability (PWD).

Questions:
1. What will you do?
2. Would you rush to your sister and forget the job interview, or will you proceed
to the interview and pretend you never received the distress call?
3. Can you think of other possible options that you can help your sister and at
the same time proceed with your interview?

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 Assessment

Multiple Choice: Write the letter of your choice in another piece of paper.

1. The view that people behave as they do because they believe that performing
their chosen actions has more benefits than costs.
a. Psychoanalysis c. Marxism
b. Psychology d. Rational Choice
2. The COVID 19 pandemic brought about New Normal routine in our lives,
except.
a. Washing of Hands c. Wearing of Face Mask
b. Coughing in public d. Social Distancing
3. In choosing lines of behavior, humans make rational calculations with respect
to:
a. His/her past experiences
b. The sacrifices he/she willing to make
c. The benefit he/she can acquire
d. All of the above
4. The basic premise of Rational Choice Theory except:
a. Human beings base their behavior on rational calculations
b. They act with rationality when making choices
c. Their choices are aimed at optimization of their pleasure
d. Letters A and C
5. Rational Choice Theory cannot explain the existence of certain social
phenomenon such as:
a. Altruism, care and trust c. Trust, honesty and betrayal
b. Reciprocity, trust and altruism d. Betrayal, altruism and honesty
6. Which action that applies Rational Choice Theory could lessen the spread of
COVID -19 virus?
c. Going out to buy food & medicine c. Wearing of Face Mask when going out
d. Helping with the household chores d. All of the above
7. Which statements best support the idea that RCT is the best model in
understanding society?
a. Apathy/sympathy forces man to make a good choice
b. Consider range of alternatives in making decision
c. Politics and economics influence how man decide
d. All of the above
8. Which of the following does NOT support the essence of Rational Choice
Theory?
a. Different social institution sets rules and incentive for the decision making of
man.
b. It is rational that man will decide on something that could give him more
benefit.
c. RCT depends for the analytical power upon the concept of utilization.
d. Letters A and C are true

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9. Why do you think individual join associations or groups in the society?
c. To maintain status quo c. To benefit more
d. To love and be loved d. To share the blessings
10. Which statement states why Rational Choice could sometime go wrong?
a. Man is greed by nature, thus making choices for selfish reasons
b. Man is willing to sacrifice if it is for the good of all.
c. Man chooses money over principles and moral.
d. Letter B and C
11. Which statement below states the weakness of Rational Choice Theory?
a. Most of the time, emotions are being used in decision
b. Man don’t think, they decide right away
c. Inadequate information and uncertain lead to poor judgement
d. It develops the decision- making skills of a person
12. Individuals’ actions are based on their preferences, beliefs and feasible
strategies according to:
b. Smith b. Ward c. Elster d. Dewey
13. Which statement supports the idea that institutions sets rules and conditions
that may affect the rational choice of a person?
e. Institutions regulates the society
f. Institutions controls the decision of the society
g. Institutions can lead the growth of economy
h. Institutions determines to establish politics
14. What do you think is the best way to beat COVID 19?
c. Wash hands as often as possible c. Follow what the elders are doing
d. Follow rules by the government d. Buy important groceries only
15. Which of the following causes social phenomena according to The
Rational Choice Theory?
a. Individual’s poor decision-making
b. Incompetence of government officials
c. Individual’s ability to respond to social change
d. Inadequate distribution of resources.

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 References

Jose, M. D. and Ong, J. (2017) Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences, Vibal
Group, Inc.,

DELA CRUZ, ARLEIGH ROSS D., FADRIGON, CECILE C., and MENDOZA, DIANA J.
“Discipline and Ideas in the Social Sciences.” Quezon City. Phoenix Publishing House,
Inc.2016.

Voss, T., Abraham, M., & Sales, A. (2000). Rational Choice Theory in Sociology: A
Survey. In S. R. Quah (Ed.), The International Handbook of Sociology (pp. 50-83).
London, UK: Sage 6) Green, S. L. (2002). Rational Choice Theory: An Overview, A lecture
on Rational Choice Theory, Personal Collection of Green, S. L., Department of Economics,
Baylor University, Waco, TX

https://www.evantarver.com/rational-choice-theory
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rational-choice-theory.asp